The Iola register., 1887-01-14

black rs you South Illinois Egyptians. >
"Old lady jenkins will have a CROW
to pick with you, though, If she happen'
to drop onto all these letters ana
walks
"You undertake too much" said tn,
drummer, shaking his head with gentle
persuasiveness. 1.-The store and post
Office and station and the neighborhoot
will accumulate, and be too many fol
YOU"
Beetrus saw him sauntering on hel
track. The blood was buzzing in hel
head, and she hid herself upon pile
of steep high rocks, obeying some wild
impulse of which she felt ashamed. Tc
follow him with her eyes and be herself
invisible was an impersonal rapture in
which she could indulge without giving
it too great advantage. Yet, when he
disappeared near the river, she felt q
stinging check in her heart, and sense
of having inflicted loss and robbery up.
on herself.
To Beetrus he was the walking es-
sence of the world. representing moi
only its mighty business, but its advan-
tagcs of culture and travel. She never
had been from home except to Evans
vile and New Harmony; and he never
staid two nights in place, and spoke
with fatigue of his exciting life. What
operas he had seen!-for in Beetrus'
chaotic Imagination all theatrical per-
formance was opera. and operas were
the distinct possessions of the wealthy.
She resented with mixture of awe
and daring the greatness of his rela-
tives. He was a nephew of the head Of
his commercial house, and his grand
father had been Congressman; while
her background was the pioneer s
cabin, the pecan woods, and Wabash
rocks and hills.
Beatrus was the child of shrewd
though novel-soaked mother, who had
lowered her with something more than
mispronounced fine name and biassed
imagination. 1t is strange to think
how Large . human mass, moving this
instant in grooves of practical action,
is protesting with secret scorn against
all its conditions. Beetrus was full of
a girls unrests and eccentric impulses.
She thought she knew exactly what she
wanted for her happiness. the con-
denscd statement of which would have
been to have the whole globe placed in
her lap, ticketed simply Reward of
merit"
She pressed her cheek against the
rock linchens, taking a haif-inverted
view of the autumn tangle, and glad in
spite of herself for the pleasant breath
of life 1t was worth while to be part
of such woods and river vistas, and to
smell all the grounds odors. Some
little living thing ran along log not
far from her; and she could hear q
squirrel bark. whish and whisper Of
loosened leaves as they were sent
adrift, and then the dropping Of nut
Stong as the sunlight was, she shivered
upon the rocks, and then felt all her
blood burn, beat. and tremble. The
commercial traveller was walking back
with n brisk step from the river. and
scanning every opening among the
trees, as if on an eager search. He
saw Beetrus rising and tightening her
pink shawl on her shoulders, and halted
with jerk.
"Where have you been?" was his un-
ceremonious exclamation.
up here. reading my letters and
viewing the country"
"You saw me go past, then. didn't
you?"
"Was it you?" said she, fitting her
foot deity to the steep descent.
"Let me lift you down. How pretty
you look this morning!'
''Oh! don't talk about pretty Mr..
Poundstone," said Beetrus, dyed in
color after he had stood her upon the
moss. and dazed as she always was by
his prevailing presence.
"You oughtn't to have hid; want
to talk up a scheme with you right of.
1t popped into my head since l got of
the train.
What scheme?' said Bcctrus, hug
ging her shawl and looking over her
shoulder to simulate complete indif-
ference.
You know well enough, or can guess.
We mustn't be parted. my dear girl; 1
cam t run up to New Harmony every
time l make trip down this way.
Think of the long winter. Don't you
want to see me this winter?'
"Oh-yes," she admitted with a
gasp.
II want to see you. want to have
you entirely to myself, to look forward
to every time l come in off the road.
Let's get married."
Beetrus visibly expanded and con-
tracted with great breath.
''Get on the train and go over to Ev-
ansville with me, and we'll have the
minister tie the knot there. Then
home. And nice little private set Of
rooms, all quietan to ourselves, and
no relations to bother u.s."
''But mas fixed things to go up to
New Harmony for the winter" whis-
pered Beetrus. struggling with this
vision. ''And she wouldn't change her
mind so suddenly-'specially as she
doesn't know you real well.'
ut isn't ma l want to marry" ar
gued Poundstone, using his winning
smile. "Tll drop my relations, and
you can surely do the same.
"Drop maH'
leave her little while. Let her
60 up to New Harmony. you know"